Talks & negotiations still on with Tecom: CM

Tvm: Chief Minister Shri V S Achuthanandan today said that the Government is still negotiating with Tecom, the Dubai based promoters of SmartCity Project in Kochi and the option of an alternate partner would be thought of only as a last resort. The CM’s statement, made in the Legislative Assembly, comes a day after the Directors Board at Kochi.

Tecom CEO, Fareed Abdul Rehman had said yesterday after the Board Meeting in Kochi that the company would not shy away from a legal battle if the government went to court for arbitration.

Replying to questions on the long-dragging project, the CM said talks with Tecom were still on but he reiterated that there was no question of yielding to the company’s demands such as free-hold right for part of the land since they were outside the original agreement. He also dismissed suggestions from the Congress-led opposition that the state was on the verge of losing the project.

The CM clarified that the Government has taken steps to create thousands of jobs by strengthening existing facilities like Infopark at Kochi and creating fresh IT infrastructure across the state. Since the LDF Government came to power, projects worth Rs. 10,000 crores have been initiated out of which Rs.2000 crores were as direct government investment. He also added that in the last four years, the IT sector’s growth in Kerala had been three times higher than the national average. It was significant that the IT sector in Kerala maintained the growth trend even during the global recession.